Air filter assemblies filter out particulate matter from a flow of air entering an internal combustion engine. The air filter assembly is located within the engine compartment of a vehicle. Typically, the air filter assembly includes a rigid plastic housing, that includes a first member and a second member latched together. The housing defines an air inlet for receiving the flow of air, and an air outlet for exhausting the flow of air. A filter is disposed within an interior of the housing, between the air inlet and the air outlet, to filter out the particulate matter suspended within the flow of air.
A hood of the vehicle and the various components located within the engine compartment of the vehicle may be designed to deform in response to an impact load to absorb and/or dissipate energy. Enabling deformation of the hood may include providing a crush zone in the space immediately under the hood within the engine compartment that is free of any engine components, or alternatively only includes soft and/or compressible components. As the housing of the air filter assembly is generally rigid, the air filter assembly is generally precluded from being positioned within the crush zone immediately under the hood.